Biblical Building Block #11 - Serve One Another (Galatians 5:13) – PART 2

Today’s devotion is an excerpt from a Bible Study Series taught at Fellowship Baptist Church, titled “Biblical Building Blocks for Strengthening Relationships.”

Biblical Building Block #11 - Serve One Another (Galatians 5:13) – PART 2

Galatians 5:13, For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

The word love here is “agape” and speaks of sacrificial benevolence. The word "serve" means to do service; to give oneself up. To serve describes an attitude of helping others in such a way that what we do for others would be to their advantage. Jesus was the greatest example of being a servant (Philippians 2:5-8). He exemplified when, as the Son of God and Son of Man, He lived on earth as the Servant of God and the Servant of man. Even He, who was God, gave us an example of serving one another by washing His Disciples feet (John 13:15). Jesus reminded the disciples, “whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all” (Mark 10:44). No one gets too old or is ever too good to be a servant. The one who serves others is happier than the one who is being served (John 13:17).

Biblical love is the decision to seek the well-being of another compassionately, righteously, and sacrificially. We also advance our vertical fellowship with God when we show love in our horizontal relationship with fellow believers. The grace of God is your greatest motivation to service. Two missionaries in China were standing by a clogged up sewer, arguing about why they shouldn't have to clean it out. The first missionary said, "I've been here longer, I shouldn't have to do this." The other one replied, "But I have more education. I didn't spend all that money on schooling to be cleaning out sewers." While they were arguing back and forth, famous missionary Hudson Taylor walked past them, opened the sewer, went down into it, cleared it out, and took care of the problem. While the missionaries were arguing, Hudson Taylor simply did the job that needed to be done. Love takes the selfishness out of self and helps that one focus on others. While some would use grace to live life the way the flesh wants, we should use grace to live life how the Spirit of God wants.

Since we have God's grace in our lives and because HE wants to love others through us, we should be motivated to serve one another. The Bible does not show us that grace will bring less service but will cause us to lead a more dedicated life to God. Christian freedom is not about living how we want, but living how God wants us to live. The salvation given by Jesus is due to an imparting of His nature into us. We are to exemplify the character and conduct of Jesus. When Christ incarnates Himself in believers, He imparts them with the same nature of servanthood. Although the flesh has not been eradicated at salvation; it is the love of Christ that delivers us from the power of the flesh. Although we have a flesh nature which motivates us to serve self, we also possess the Holy Spirit, which motivates us to serve others, even at the cost of great sacrifice to self. Resistance of the flesh will keep us from focusing on self. We were not saved to live a self-centered life. Christ loved us, served, and gave Himself for us, therefore, we love Christ with all our heart and life. Christ wants us please Him and to do all we can to serve Him. Our service for one another should be motivated because our love for the Lord and for others. The 2nd Greatest Commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself.

A person who loves does not act like a lord over people; he or she...
1)serves and helps
2)shows kindness and gentleness to
3)expresses concern and care for
4)demonstrates sympathy and empathy for

Like the earlier example with Hudson Taylor, the person who truly loves identifies with a person, gets down where they are, even below where they are, and ministers to them. Love serves and always reaches out to do whatever it can for the other person. Service can never become slavery to the one who serves in love!

It never withdraws from the other person, feeling that he or she...
1)does not deserve the effort or help.
2)is not worth the effort or help.
3)is less than what he should be.
4)is too derelict, immoral, uneducated, unrecognized, below others.

Why I Love Serving the Lord.
1.I love seeing souls saved.
2.I love seeing lives changed.
3.I love seeing fruit that remains.
4.I love serving God’s people.
5.I love equipping others to serve.
6.I love the next generation.
7.I love entering into the labor of those who have gone before.
8.I love fulfilling God’s calling on my life.
9.I love the Word of God.
10. I love God Himself.

PRAYER: LORD, thank You for leaving us Your precious Word and Your Holy Spirit to lead us in the truth. Help me to serve others the way Your Son would serve others. In Jesus Name, AMEN!

Thank you for reading PART 2 of Biblical Building Block #11 of this series. Please visit this website tomorrow for Biblical Building Block #12 of this series.

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